Travel bag with frame support



y 1957 7 M. DAVIS 2,797,779

TRAVEL BAG WITH FRAME SUPPORT Filed Sept. 1, 1954 34 INVENTOR. M/CHAEL DAV/S BY /l/lAm TRAVEL BAG WITH FRAME SUPPORT Michael Davis, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to Mayfab, Inc., Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application September 1, 1954, Serial No. 453,497 3 Claims. (Cl. 190 43) for supporting the bag in full length depending relation and are provided with handles at one side for manually carrying the bags when in doubled over relation. The bags are of elongated formation for receiving garments in full length condition so as to avoid wrinkling thereof. Such bags have the objection that the walls being flexible are not self-sustaining and collapse when the bag is doubled over for use as a carrying case. In order to overcome this objection, an object of the invention is to pro-- vide a travel bag having a'frame at each end by which the bag will stand upright when folded over for use as a carry ingcase;

Another object of the invention is to provide frames which fit within the ends of the bag and maintain the ends and the side walls thereof in stretched and stiff relation.

Still another object of the invention is to provide frames of said character which are collapsible to permit of the folding of the bag into compact formation for storage with the frames arranged therein in collapsed relation.

Still another object of the invention is to provide means carried by the side walls of the bag for retaining the sides of the frames in supporting engagement therewith.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, reference is now made to the following specification and accompanying drawings in which the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a bag constructed in accordance with the invention and illustrating the same in doubled over condition for use as a carrying case.

Fig. 2 is a view in elevation of the bag when in suspended relation for use as a wardrobe case and showing the rear side thereof with the closure member.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken approximately on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a similar view taken approximately on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken approximately on line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the frames.

Referring to the drawings, the travel bagis of elongated formation and includes oppositely disposed flexible front and rear walls 10 and 11, top and bottom end walls 12 and 13 and opposite side walls 14 and 15. The end and side walls are connected with the front and rear walls to provide a bag of narrow width so as to accommodate one or more garments in full length condition. The front wall 10 is provided with a handle 16 which is secured to a panel 17 located medially of the ends thereof and from one side to the other with the handle arranged to extend upwardly therefrom when the bag is doubled over for use as a carrying case, as shown in Fig 1 ofthe drawings. A

ply 18 of leather or the like overlies the outer face of the panel 17 and is sewed to the front wall 10 bystitching 19 extending about the periphery thereof to thereby securethe panel in position and provide a rigid top structure when the bag is doubled-over for manually carrying the 2 same.

in order to render the bag self-sustainingwhen doubled over for use asa carrying case, frames 20 are provided which are arranged at the ends of the bag and function to stilfen theends andside walls as well as maintaining the front and rear walls in stretched formation. The frames 24) are of like formation and each include an end 21 and opposite sidesi22 and 23 which arehingedly connected with the end 21 forswinging movement of the sides from collapsed inoperative relation against the end to an .expaneled operative condition in right angular relation there-. with, Theend 21-consists of a wire frame'of general rectangular formation having curved opposite endportions 24and 25;. A-plurality of metal plates 26 are-looped about the opposite. longitudinal sides of the wire frame 1 and extend transversely thereof to thereby provide a stiff. and rigidframe structure. The sides 22and 23 also consist of wire frames, the upper ends 27 thereof being looped about the ends 23 of the curvedportions 24 and 25 for the aforesaid. swinging movement from collapsed relation against/the under side of the end'21 of the frame to expanded right angular relation therewith, as shown in Fig. 1 6 of the drawings. The ends 22and 23 are provided with j metal plates 2 9-.which are looped about. the sides of the wire frames was to stiffen and provide rigid sides The frames 2d are arranged within the bag with the ends- 21 disposed against the inside faces of the end walls 12 and 13 and the sides 22 and 23 of the frames arranged against the inside faces of the side Walls 14 and 15. The frames maintain the side walls in expanded and taut condition with the free ends of the sides 22 and 23 of each frame terminating adjacent the panel 17. The side walls 14- and 15 are provided with flexible flaps 31 which are secured against the inside faces thereof adjacent the panel 1'7 and have fastening means 33 at the free ends thereof adapted to engage complementary fastening means 34 on the outermost plates 29 of the sides 22 and 23 for securing the flaps thereto with the free ends of the sides 22 and 23 of the frame secured between the flaps and the side walls 14 and 15 respectively. The ends 21 of the frames are covered by strips 35 of stiff cardboard which extend the full width thereof and are doubled about the ends 28 of the wire frame thereof with the doubled over ends secured to the body of the strips. The strips 35 provide smooth surfaces against which the inner faces of the end walls 12 and 13 engage.

The rear wall 11 is cut to provide a flap 36 which is secured to the adjacent edges of the wall 11 by slide fastener means 37 extending continuously about three sides thereof. The slide fastener means 37 is formed with a handle 38 adapted to be grasped to move the slide element to open relation for emplacing and removing garments from the bags. The bag is provided with a depending bail 39 secured to the end 21 of the top frame 20 for suspending one or more garments therefrom hung on garment hangers. A hook 41 is affixed to the end 21 of the upper frame 2% for supporting the bag in depending relation from a hook, bar and the like. The top wall 12 of the bag is provided with straps 43 having interengageable fastening means 44 and 45 such as snap fasteners at the outer ends thereof. The straps are adapted to engage through metal loops 46 aflixed to the end 13 of the bag and the straps secured in doubled over relation by the interengageable means for securing the ends of the bag in side by side relation for carrying, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

While the preferred form of the invention has been i1- Fatented July 2, 1957 r 3 lustrated and described herein, it is to be understood that the invention is not so limited, but shall cover and include any and all modifications thereof which fall within the purview of the invention What is claimed is: 1 p p 1. Afoldable wardrobe bag comprising front 'and rear walls and narrow end and side walls connected with the front and; rear walls to provide an elongated bag of narrow formation, separate frame members arranged within' the bag at the ends thereof, said frame members including end portions arranged against the inner faces of'the end walls respectively, and side portions positioned against, the side walls,of the bag and having free inner ends, and said side portions of each frame member being hingedly connected with the end portion thereof for swinging movement into collapsed relation against the under side of the end portion, flaps affixed to said side walls and extending over the free inner ends of said side portions, and interengageable means carried by said flaps and said side portions securing said side portions of the frames in engagement with the side walls of the bag for maintaining the side walls in upright relation when in doubled over condition.

2. A foldable, wardrobe bag comprising front and rear Walls and, narrow end and side walls connected with the front and rear walls to provide an elongated bag of narrow formation, a hanger afiixed to one of the end walls for supporting the bag in full length depending relation, a stiff member extending transversely of the front wall medially of the length thereof and aflixed thereto, separate frame members, each of said frame members including an end portion and oppositely disposed side portions hingedly connected with the end portion for swinging movement from substantially right angular relation with said end, portion to collapsed relation against the under side thereof, said frame members being arranged within the bag at the ends thereof with the end portions arranged against the inner faces of the end walls respectively, and the side portions of the frame members positioned against the side walls of the bag and having free inner ends located adjacent said stiff member, and flaps afiixed to the side walls of the bag and extending over the free ends of said side portions of the frame members and releasably secured with reference thereto forsecuring said side portions of the frame members in engagement with the side walls of the bag to thereby maintain the side walls of the bag in upright relation when in doubled over condition.

3. A foldable wardrobe bag comprising front and rear walls and narrow end and side walls connected with the front and rear walls to provide an elongated bag of narrow formation, separate frame members arranged within the bag at the ends thereof, said frame members including end portions arranged against the inner faces of the end walls, respectively, and side portions positioned against the side walls of the bag and having free inner ends, and said side portions of each frame member being hingedly connected with the end portion thereof for swinging movement into collapsed relation against the under side of the end portion, flaps aflixed to said side walls and extending over the free inner ends of said side portions, and means to secure said flaps over said side portions for securing said side portions of the frames in engagement with the side walls of the bag for maintaining the side walls in upright relation in doubled over condition.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Cline Nov. 28, 1950 

